May 28, 2026 – 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm
NOTE: This activity is limited to 50 participants and registration is required by May 8, 2026.
All participants will need to show a REAL ID compliant driver’s license, a government-issued passport, or select other forms of identification (check with organizers). Motorcoach transportation will be provided at the conference venue. Loading will begin at noon, and identification will be checked before you are permitted to board the motorcoach. The motorcoach is scheduled to return to the conference venue at 4:30 p.m.
The Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) is a nationally significant U.S. Department of Transportation research facility located in McLean, Virginia, dedicated to advancing the science and technology behind the nation’s highways. Housing 15 specialized laboratories, the center conducts applied and exploratory research in areas such as safety, pavements, highway structures, intelligent transportation systems, human factors, and vehicle–highway interaction. Operated by the Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Research, Development, and Technology, TFHRC serves as a hub for innovation, testing, and technology deployment aimed at making transportation infrastructure safer, more durable, and more efficient for the traveling public. Its researchers—experts across more than 100 transportation-related disciplines—work collaboratively to develop solutions for complex technical challenges and to support a reliable, long-lasting highway system for the nation.
The ASHE 2026 Planning Committee has selected four laboratories to visit on this tour. They include the following:
- The Saxton Transportation Operations Laboratory (STOL) is a cutting-edge research and testing facility at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center dedicated to advancing intelligent transportation systems and improving roadway operations. It provides a fully connected environment—including instrumented roadways, smart traffic signals, mobile sensing networks, and a fleet of cooperative driving automation (CDA) vehicles—for developing, testing, and validating emerging transportation technologies. STOL focuses on vehicle to everything (V2X) communication, cooperative automation, traffic modeling and simulation, and real-world testing of connected and automated vehicles. By combining physical testbeds with advanced simulation tools, the lab enables researchers, industry partners, universities, and government agencies to collaboratively shape safer, smarter, and more efficient transportation systems.
- The J. Sterling Jones Hydraulics Research Laboratory at the Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center conducts advanced research on how water flow affects highway infrastructure, with a major focus on bridge scour, the leading cause of bridge failures in the U.S.. The lab uses both physical flumes and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling to study flooding, drainage, culverts, and stream stability, supported by high-performance computing through Argonne National Laboratory’s TRACC facility. Its specialized equipment—including a 70ft tilting flume, culvert testing setups, and sediment modeling tools—helps engineers develop safer, more reliable hydraulic designs for bridges and roadway drainage systems.
- The Safety Training and Analysis Center (STAC) at the Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center was established to accelerate the use of high-value roadway safety data—particularly SHRP2 Naturalistic Driving Study datasets—to improve national transportation safety. STAC provides training, technical assistance, and analytic tools that help State Departments of Transportation and research partners understand, access, and apply safety data more effectively. Its secure data enclave allows researchers to work with sensitive, time-series safety datasets while protecting privacy. STAC’s goals include guiding research question development, assisting with data selection, offering on call expert support, and developing tools and documentation that make complex safety datasets easier to use. It also nurtures stronger engagement among State DOTs, supports the U.S. DOT research agenda, and encourages new safety research initiatives.
- The Human Factors Laboratory at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center focuses on understanding how people interact with the transportation system in order to improve roadway safety and design. Researchers study the behavior and capabilities of drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and other road users using state-of-the-art tools, including advanced driving simulators and instrumented field vehicles. Their work addresses issues such as driving automation, roadway signage and markings, vulnerable road user safety, and driver comprehension of new roadway designs. By applying human-centered research methods—both virtual and real-world—the lab identifies safety challenges and informs better roadway design, traffic control devices, and advanced transportation technologies to reduce crashes and improve overall system performance.
May 30, 2026 – 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm
NOTE: This activity is limited to 50 participants and registration is required by May 8, 2026.
All participants will need to show a REAL ID compliant driver’s license, a government issued passport, or select other forms of identification (check with organizers.)
Motorcoach transportation will be provided from the conference venue. Loading will begin at 11:00 am, and identification will be checked before you are permittied to board the motorcoach. The motorcoach will depart promptly at 11:15 am. The motorcoach is scheduled to return to the conference venue at 4:00 pm.
The Northern Virginia Express Lanes network is one of the most extensive and advanced highoccupancy toll (HOT) lane systems in the United States, providing faster, more predictable travel along several of the region’s busiest highways. Currently, three tolling entities operate nearly 90 miles of express lanes facilities along I-95, I-395, I-495, and I-66 in northern Virginia. Together, these corridors form a unified, technology driven mobility network that enhances reliability, reduces travel times, and expands transportation choices for drivers, transit users, and carpoolers throughout Northern Virginia. The system’s ongoing investments and expansions reflect a long-term commitment to improving regional connectivity and supporting economic development across the greater Washington area.
Of the three tolling entities, Transurban operates the largest share of the northern Virginia system. Transurban is a major international tollroad developer and operator headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, with a portfolio spanning Australia, the United States, and Canada. Established in the mid1990s, the company focuses on creating and managing largescale roadway infrastructure designed to improve urban mobility. The company’s business model integrates advanced electronic tolling technologies, long concession periods, and significant reinvestment into mobility improvements, positioning it as one of the most influential players in global tollroad infrastructure.
Opened in 2012, the 495 Express Lanes are operated through a Public-Private Partnership (P3) between Transurban and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), forming a critical component of Northern Virginia’s regional mobility network. These dynamically tolled lanes offer faster and more reliable travel by maintaining freeflow traffic conditions through dynamic pricing. Since, Transurban’s assets have expanded to over 65 miles of time-saving travel options along I-95, I-395, and I-495—now stretching from the Maryland border to Fredericksburg, VA after extensions and enhancements have grown the network.
The system supports both tollpaying solo drivers and tollfree access for HOV3+ vehicles, buses, and motorcycles, providing flexible travel choices in one of the nation’s most heavily traveled corridors. Transurban and VDOT emphasize that dynamically priced tolling keeps traffic flowing at highway speeds—even during peak periods—while offering predictable travel times for commuters, buses, and freight carriers.
The tour will begin with participants riding on a motorcoach along the Express Lanes, where our hosts will describe the equipment and technology used in the system. Then, at the Transurban Operations Center, you will hear about the following:
- Tour of the operations center control room
- Philosophy of managed lanes and dynamic tolling
- Agreement between Transurban and VDOT
- Relationship between traffic volume and tolling.
- Ridership information
- Operations and maintenance
- Plans for future expansion.